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Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

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Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#71

Post by evanmoran »

This is absolutely the right direction, but not in the way you think. This shouldn't be branded as a phone -- size and look matter too much. It should be branded the tool of the future, designed for people people in the field: electricians / construction workers / scientists / tinkerers. Let me plug in an altimeter, leveler, or multimeter. That is what is missing on my iPhone, and this is the first thing I've seen modular enough to pull it off.

And, yes, I've been thinking Tricorder this whole time=).

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#72

Post by smackfu »

skywhopper wrote: post #18
higherpurpose wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He doesn't see any advantage to a modular phone? Then I don't think he's looking hard enough. I stand by my belief that Gruber has backed himself into a corner where he now needs to defend anything Apple does, and attack just about anything the competition does that is at least seen by others as a threat to Apple, if not by him.

You've misread his statement. He sees the benefit, but points out that the tradeoffs will be the main areas of competition among smartphones: size, weight, battery life. All three will be worse in a modular phone. You'll also get less for your money overall. Not to mention that having to choose among components just adds an additional layer of option stress that most consumers don't want. Sure, there's a market for a…

The same arguments can be used against a removable battery, but the flagship Samsung has one.

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#73

Post by rch »

evanmoran wrote: post #71

This is absolutely the right direction, but not in the way you think. This shouldn't be branded as a phone -- size and look matter too much. It should be branded the tool of the future, designed for people people in the field: electricians / construction workers / scientists / tinkerers. Let me plug in an altimeter, leveler, or multimeter. That is what is missing on my iPhone, and this is the first thing I've seen mo…

I'm curious to see what I will be able to do with the interconnect myself. For instance, could I rig something up to hook a couple of modules to my laptop or car?

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#74

Post by _ea1k »

josefresco wrote: post #21
sdfx wrote: post #8

I think John Gruber over at Daring Fireball said it best: "I remain highly skeptical that a modular design can compete in a product category where size, weight, and battery life are at such a premium. Even if they can bring something to market, why would any normal person be interested in a phone like this?" http://daringfireball.net/linked/2014/04/15/project-ara

Size matters? My Android friends have huge phones (and cases) - Clearly they don't mind a phone being big and if the phone had cheap replaceable parts, that giant "life proof" case wouldn't be needed. Weight matters? I have never heard "I wish my phone was lighter" from anyone, anywhere. In fact I've heard from several who think a heavier phone means it's "better made". Battery life - Again my Android friends (and a…

I have a phone with a slightly larger screen than a Galaxy S5, that is also slightly smaller (LG G2). The efficient use of space mitigates the (few) disadvantages of a larger screen.

A phone that is bulky and has a large screen would be impractical. That's why size matters.

I don't really know who they are targetting with this device or their anticipated volume, so it is hard to say whether this will be "successful" or not. It seems certain to me that this is not a mass-market offering, though.

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#75

Post by Tyrannosaurs »

id wrote: post #13
Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that a new phone though? invents the question of the philosopher's modular mobile phone

The ship of Theseus is a thought experiment that raises the exact same question. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_and_change

I love that that Wikipedia article references Sugababes - a British pop band which has changed entire line up over it's existence (begging the question is it still the same band).

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#76

Post by sp332 »

k-mcgrady wrote: post #63
adestefan wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know people that just toss an $800 laptop like it's nothing when something goes wrong. We truly live in a disposable society.

>> "I know people that just toss an $800 laptop like it's nothing when something goes wrong. We truly live in a disposable society." Nope. You just happen to know people who can afford to toss an $800 laptop. For most of the 'lower middle class' people I know purchasing a laptop is a big deal and only happens once every 3/4/5 years. Even then they don't spend more than £400. Even when their laptop is practically unus…

But the only difference is the amount of money, not the attitude. No one thinks "I can afford a new laptop, but I'll rehabilitate this old one anyway."

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#77

Post by gbog »

sdfx wrote: post #8

I think John Gruber over at Daring Fireball said it best: "I remain highly skeptical that a modular design can compete in a product category where size, weight, and battery life are at such a premium. Even if they can bring something to market, why would any normal person be interested in a phone like this?" http://daringfireball.net/linked/2014/04/15/project-ara

This is not a phone, as someone noted in another comment.

It is a good old pocket computer, and it is modular, and mine may (or may not) have a telephony module.

I have a Galaxy Note, I think I use it as a phone twice a week on average. I use it as a HN browser, a camera, a podcast downloader and listener, a navigation, a game console, an e-reader, a translator, for contacts and calendar, and phone calls. Having a big screen is helpful in 9 of these 10 activities. Being big is annoying in 1 of them.

Moreover a big device has a much bigger battery, thus a somewhat better battery life (only somewhat because the screen is bigger too, and you use it more.)

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#78

Post by pessimizer »

LarryMade2 wrote: post #42

Yeah, right. I remember computers built in the 90s and 2000s, touting their modular construction and never having to buy a new system again. I wonder if those machines are still in operation? I think what would guarantee longevity is something that is rock-solid good, inexpensive, repairable, and easy to develop on. I'm thinking of track records of computers like the Commodore 64, iMac, or in vehicles like the beetle…

>I remember computers built in the 90s and 2000s, touting their modular construction and never having to buy a new system again.

Did these actually exist as a specific product, or are you just referring to all computers that weren't made by Apple?

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#79

Post by sjwright »

smackfu wrote: post #72
skywhopper wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've misread his statement. He sees the benefit, but points out that the tradeoffs will be the main areas of competition among smartphones: size, weight, battery life. All three will be worse in a modular phone. You'll also get less for your money overall. Not to mention that having to choose among components just adds an additional layer of option stress that most consumers don't want. Sure, there's a market for a…

The same arguments can be used against a removable battery, but the flagship Samsung has one.

And yet, probably 99% of their owners will never purchase a replacement battery.

For a given sized phone, a replaceable battery is necessarily smaller capacity than a fixed equivalent, due to space wasted on additional housings, clips and connectors.

Re: Project Ara – Google's modular phone project

#80

Post by jareds »

sdfx wrote: post #8

I think John Gruber over at Daring Fireball said it best: "I remain highly skeptical that a modular design can compete in a product category where size, weight, and battery life are at such a premium. Even if they can bring something to market, why would any normal person be interested in a phone like this?" http://daringfireball.net/linked/2014/04/15/project-ara

Although I am blind I still consider myself a "normal" person. This could be the answer to my very specific requirements though. I'd love to build a phone with the lowest quality screen I can, no camera, as big a battery as I can get, and possibly a keyboard. For obvious reasons something like this will never be produced by any company.
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